Photo Courtesy: Quinnipiac Athletics
By: M.J. Baird
People use the term “broken record” to reference someone who repeats the same thing over and over. Yet no one calls Quinnipiac track and field star Jessica Lee a “broken record”.
Instead, Lee is quite familiar with breaking records.
The junior Bobcat had breakout 2017 indoor and outdoor track seasons. Highlighting her junior campaign Lee captured eight first-place finishes and won the program’s first ECAC indoor championship.
However, her most recent accomplishment came when she earned a spot in the NCAA East Regional as only the third Bobcat to reach that stage and the first Quinnipiac hurdler to do so.
“It is an awesome feeling,” Lee said. “However, I’m trying not to think about all of that yet. I don’t like to psych myself out.”
Lee will compete in Lexington, Kentucky at the University of Kentucky Track and Field Complex on Friday, May 26.
She will run the 100 meter hurdles event, entering the race ranked 44 out of 48 athletes. Lee currently holds the Quinnipiac program record in this event, clocking in at 13.56 seconds.
Lee contributes most of her success the past two seasons to her mentality.
“The thing that clicked is confidence,” Lee said. “I put a lot of hard work in and I am finally confident in my technique and running that I am able to focus on competing.”
Lee will compete against some of the best athletes in the country, but that isn’t affecting her preparation.
“Competing in this event or any event on the national stage is intimidating,” Lee said. “Having the bigger races under my belt has helped to calm my nerves because I have proven to myself that I am able to compete with the best.”
Lee has proven that she can compete with the best breaking records at both the Armory Track Invite and the Penn Relays, two of Quinnipiac’s biggest meets.
During the indoor season, Lee advanced to the finals of the 60 meter hurdles at the Armory Track Invite and finished fourth against competition scattered among high major programs. She set a program record of 8.35 seconds in this event.
As for the outdoor competition, Lee continued her dominance.
She competed in the 100 meter hurdles at the Penn Relays, and broke another record in the process, becoming the first Bobcat to reach the finals of a Penn Relays event.
Competing against a plethora of top 50 runners in the nation, Lee (who at the time was not ranked) placed third.
Her storybook season continues on Friday when she attempts to break even more records at the NCAA regional.
“Physically, my focus is being rested and fresh,” Lee said. “At this point in the season all the hard work is done its just about racing now.”
Lee will race with a projected start time at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.
